When Are We?
by Ramzes
Summary: Don't touch it!" Teddy shouted, but since when had James started obeying commands? He turned the hourglass and the world around them started spinning... and spinning... and spinning.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Really, people, who writes fanfiction nowadays? Not JK Rowling, I assure you.**

Chapter 1

An Unexpected Traveling

James Potter hated weddings. True, it was the first wedding that he had ever attended and it had not even finished yet, but it was enough for him to know that he hated them.

First, it was the noise. Everybody was running around and shouting like mad. It turned out that there were at least fifty things that needed to be done before the ceremony itself. Something with the bride's gown was not quite right, the cake had been somehow messed up, and Auntie Luna had taken some of her strangest creatures here for the youngest kids to play with, and they had lost them – the children lost the animals, that was it, not the other way around. All in all, he felt like a patient in a madhouse and he did not like it at all. Weddings should not create such crazy messes – it was his job!

Second, it was the outfit. His mother had forced him into official green robes that he absolutely loathed. Red hair and green robes, what a terrible clash! Jillian Hart, a classmate of his, who had somehow managed to befriend Rose and thus had received an invitation, had already managed to spot him and she had lost no time in mocking him. She definitely needed some of Uncle George's newest products tested on her. Let's see how she would mock him with her pretty face turned into a pig snout! Really, couldn't Al and Rose pick their friends better? James regretted ever leaving them alone for their first days at Hogwarts. Look what they did! James could accept their friendship with Malfoy – although quite grudgingly, - but this golden-haired devil was too much for him to bear. Jillian Hart, what a joke. The only heart the girl had was in her name.

Third, the gnomes had chosen this particular day to come back into the garden of the Burrow, so James and his cousins had spent the whole morning degnoming the garden. Their Grandma had forced them to work like house-elves and then expected of them to be shining with joy on the wedding that took place only a few hours later. Well, James was not happy and he did not hesitate to say that to anybody who asked.

Fourth, he absolutely refused to chat with the guests, keeping them company, so that the women would have the time to make Victoire's gown all right. He suspected that his mother would make him to, though, which was why he was currently hiding in his Granddad's shed with Muggle things, talking quietly with Al, Fred, Hugo, and Louis. Lily and Rose were talking in hushed voices in the other side of the shed. Although it was a brilliant sunny day, there was almost no light in the shed and the children could see only the dm outlines of their grandfather's beloved Muggle things. None of them minded, though – all they wanted was to remain unnoticed until that whole wedding frenzy was over.

"Shush!" Rose suddenly hissed. "Someone is coming!"

All kids fell absolutely silent and absolutely static, now willing to be discovered. Soon, they realized that Rose was right – there were two voices that were coming nearer. Not random voices, however- they belonged to the two main personages of the day. Much to James' joy, Teddy and Victoire stopped right in front of the shed and continued their conversation.

"I can't believe I'm feeling that nervous," Victoire said. "I know that every bride feels the same way, but somehow, I never thought I would be reduced to such state. Teddy, that's awful."

"Awful enough to make you cancel the wedding right now?" Teddy joked, and Victoire chuckled nervously.

"Not that much! I've been hunting for you for two years, so there is no way I'm letting you go now!"

In the shed, Al pressed a hand to his mouth to prevent himself from laughing out loud.

"Anyway, what are you doing here?" Teddy asked. "Shouldn't you be getting ready, gown and all?"

Victoire snorted. "They are still fussing about mending my gown. I doubt they'll even know that I'm missing until it's time for me to put it on. A Paris doll would be sufficient enough for them."

"Maybe we should run away," Teddy offered.

In the shed, the children looked at each other and listened intently, trying to stifle their laughter.

"Don't be stupid," Victoire said, but her voice indicated that she was tempted.

"We still have time!"

And then it happened. James' elbow brushed something and the something fell down with a crash. The sound that followed resembled the breaking of a glass.

"Whoops!" James said.

The door flung opened, Teddy and Victoire entered, Teddy said, '_Lumos_!' and then the two of them started laughing at the kids' guilty faces. "Eavesdropping, were you?" Teddy asked good-naturedly. No one answered.

Now, when it was light in the shed, everybody saw the pieces of glass and golden beads that were spread on the floor. Victoire looked at Lily's watch. "We still have the time to collect them and repair the item," she said. "You know that Grandfather would be awfully disappointed if something happened to his beloved Muggle items."

And so five boys, two girls, the bride to-be, and the bridegroom to-be all knelt on the floor and started gathering the tiny pieces. It was a hard task, because there were so many of them, and it took them a minute to find them all.

"So," Hugo asked, "what _was_ that?"

James shrugged. "How could I know?"

"Well, you were the one who broke it," Louis pointed out.

James snorted. "That doesn't mean that I know what it is. Some sort of necklace, I suppose. Oh, look! It's some kind of watch!" he exclaimed. "And it still works!"

The others looked at him, while he was taking the broken hourglass that was lying from the floor. Teddy's face contorted in panic and his hair turned black. "Don't touch it!" he shouted, but since when had James started obeying commands? He turned the pendant and it started rolling uncontrollably when James' finger touch it, and the world started spinning... and spinning... and spinning.

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When the spinning finally stopped, Teddy cautiously touched his head to check that it was still in its place, and looked around. Then, he started counting: Victoire, James, Lily, Rose, Al, Hugo, Louis, and Fred. They were all here and they seemed to be recovering from the same spinning that still held Teddy himself in its grip. They were all still clutching the beads and peaces of glass that they had been collecting from the floor before James did his thing. They were all here and they all looked all right. That was the important thing.

Only... where was here?

He looked around. The room which they were in was old and seemed like it would fall apart every moment now: old furniture, threadbare upholstering, something that looked like a huge tapestry on the wall. The curtains were closed and looked like they had never been opened to let the sun in. When Al sneezed, a cloud of dust rose from the carpet and engulfed them, making them cough, which led to more dust and more coughing.

"Everyone fine?" Teddy finally asked in a hoarse voice.

"Yes," they all chorused unevenly.

"Where are we?" Lily asked.

Teddy slowly went to the table and looked at the newspaper that laid spread on it. His face turned ashen, along with his hair. "I think that the question is not where, but _when_ are we," he said very slowly and then he went to James and shoved the newspaper in his face. "Read!" he barked.

Looking very confused, James did what he was told. "Dolores Umbridge, a – "

"Not that!" Teddy yelled. "Read the date!"

"14th November 1995 – " James started and then his face turned the same shade of gray like Teddy's. "Oh no! That's impossible!"

"Oh yes, it _is_ possible!" Teddy was fuming with anger. "The thing that you broke – the thing that you turned after I _told_ you not to – was a Time-Turner. You brought us twenty-four years back in time!"

Startled cries and exclamations came out from the other seven's mouths. James did not wait to see their further reactions: he ran. Unfortunately, Teddy was five inches taller than him and had longer legs; he caught him just when he had reached the corridor. The next moment, he threw him on the floor.

"You're dead!" he yelled and pressed James' arms and legs to the floor, while the boy was desperately trying to wriggle out of his grasp.

"It was an accident!"

"Sure it was," Teddy snorted. "I told you not to turn the bloody thing. Oh, you're so dead!"

"I didn't mean to!"

"Do you hear me? Dead!"

"I am sorry!"

"So am I, and what does that change?"

"Let me go," James said.

"Never."

"Let's negotiate."

"You are dead and that is not negotiable!"

"It hurts!"

"When we are back home – if we ever get back home, - say goodbye to your hiding places for Uncle George's products, because I'll tell your parents about each one of them – "

"Ouch!" James howled.

" – the secret passages for Hogsmeade, because I'll tell Filch about them – "

"Help!"

" – the Marauder's Map, because I will personally take it from you – "

"No!"

"I'll make sure that Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny keep you grounded during the summer holidays until you graduate!"

James looked at him with desperate eyes. Teddy growled. The others were not interested in the fight at all. Instead, they were trying to find out where they were.

"Fine, I surrender," James said, Teddy loosened his grasp a bit and James used the chance to try an escape. Teddy managed to grab his leg and James fell on the carpet again. Teddy rolled and landed over him. James wildly flailed his arms and hit Teddy's face a few times, making the young Metamorphmagus even angrier. He turned James on his stomach and pressed his arms behind his back.

"Don't try to escape," he warned and then, to his greatest fury, he felt himself being dragged away from the beastly boy.

"Lad, I must ask you to calm down," a deep voice said in his ear. Teddy turned around and looked right in the face of a man that he had never met, but he had heard a lot about – Sirius Black. But right now, he was so angry that even the realization who this man was could not distract him from the main problem. He turned to James again. "Accept your fate."

A quick look around showed him that Victoire and the others were being questioned by a man with a long silver beard. His eyes met Vickie's and she shook her head almost imperceptibly, telling him that neither she, nor the others would say something, until they can talk to him. Meanwhile, James was being helped to his feet by a younger version of Kingsley Shacklebolt, who looked sympathetic, as if he thought that James was the victim here – _James_.

"I'm sorry, Teddy."

"I know you are sorry. You are always sorry! Even for dragging us here in the middle of – " At this place, Teddy suddenly remembered what day was today. "I was supposed to get married in less than an hour!" he roared and tried to escape Sirius Black's grasp. "You're dead!"

"Boy," Sirius said firmly, "if you don't calm down, we'll have to take you to a guarded room until you come to your sensed."

"Take _him_. Take the kid. He should be arrested."

"I'm sorry," James piped in.

"You'll be really sorry, just wait until your parents hear about this."

"Are you two relatives?" Kingsley asked, abandoning James and coming to Sirius' aid, because Teddy was giving all signs of going berserks again.

"Not for long," Teddy answered.

"This is my father's godson and I think you have to let him go."

"Not until he calms down."

"I won't just kill you. First, I'll torture you. This was supposed to be my wedding day, you thick-headed, mulish - "

"Lad, we can't let you go if you keep talking this way," Sirius said.

"Watch your back, James!"

"Lad, we aren't going to warn you anymore," Kingsley said and waved his wand. Teddy suddenly found himself with tied wrists, but his fury did not abate. Sirius, however, was not listening to him anymore.

"James?" he repeated.

"James Potter," the kid introduced himself. "And who might you be?"

Sirius paled. "That – that's a real coincidence."

"That isn't a coincidence at all," James corrected him.

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH UP!" Teddy bellowed.

"I came from the future," James explained helpfully, and Teddy and Victoire both groaned at the same time. "We all did."

"The rest of your life will be a living hell!"

James looked at Teddy and then at Kingsley. "Please, let him go. It's all my fault."

"Of course it's your fault, you lunatic. And now we are stuck here and I'll kill you!"

"Boy, stop squirming," Kingsley said. Teddy did not stop.

"Please, let him go," James said. "He didn't do anything."

Sirius looked deeply, utterly, absolutely confused. His eyes were moving from the young man with the ever-changing hair to the boy who said that his name was James Potter and who really looked like James Potter, to the other boy, whose name he still did not know, but who _also_ looked like James, only with Lily's eyes, and then to the two red-headed girls who resembled quite closely Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley. From them, he continued looking at the kid who seemed to descend from two different races, to the boy who was almost as tall an just as red-haired as Ron Weasley, and finally to the silver-haired boy, who was standing next to the most beautiful girl that Sirius had ever seen. Had they really come from the future? He was sure that Dumbledore had not given them the location of the house, so maybe they had really entered by falling here from their own time.

"Can you explain what's going on here?" he finally asked, looking at the James boy.

"I'll explain," Teddy said.

"No, I want to hear it from the boy," Kingsley protested.

"He is my father's godson and he is really angry with me at the moment," James explained.

"Did he hurt you?" Sirius inquired.

"Only a little."

"Are you afraid of him?"

"No."

"You should be," Teddy interrupted. "You should be afraid of me."

James looked at him and sighed. "Teddy, if you don't stop talking like this, they won't let you go."

Sirius' eyes moved from Teddy to James. "James – if that's your name, - has Teddy ever hurt you?"

"If you don't let him go right now, he will hurt me."

"You are damn right here," Teddy confirmed.

"We can protect you," Kingsley said.

"They can't protect you," Teddy promised.

"That's enough, lad!" Sirius snapped.

"Stop calling me 'lad'!"

"You're coming with us into a separate room until you regain control over your nerves," Kingsley said firmly and grabbed Teddy's arm, dragging him away.

"Hey, leave him alone!" Victoire shouted from behind.

"Yes, leave him alone!" James supported her.

"We can't do that," Kingsley said, "not until he stops looking so aggressive."

"Then take me with him. I have to go with him"

Sirius and Kingsley both gaped at James. Why anyone would want to be in the company of someone who would not stop threatening them was beyond them.

"You give no signs of aggression."

"Everything happened because of me."

"How so?"

James opened him mouth; Teddy glared at him dirtily and James closed it again.

"Can I go with him?" James asked again.

"No," Sirius said.

"But why not?"

"You did nothing wrong."

"I'll do now," James said and kicked Sirius in the shins. Sirius gasped from the sudden attack. "Can I go with Teddy now?" James asked. Sirius and Kingsley did not answer immediately, so the boy kicked Sirius again.

"Ouch!"

"I'll do it again," James warned him.

"Fine!" Sirius exploded. "Kingsley, take this lunatic along with the other one in the room on the third floor. We may have a better chance at receiving something that makes sense from the others!"

Kingsley left with Teddy and James in front of him. Sirius rubbed his shin and looked at the other newcomers. "Why does he want so much to be imprisoned with the other one?" he asked. "It doesn't make sense."

"Oh, but it does," Victoire explained to him. "You see, when we come back to our own time, James will be in lots of trouble for landing us here and whatever happens to Teddy will result in extra punishment for James. He knows that, so it's in his best interest to get both of them out of further trouble."

Albus Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. Sirius shook his head. "Nutters," he muttered, "all of you."

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**A. N. So? ****Is it worth being continued?**

13


	2. Meeting New People

_Disclaimer: Me? An author. Not of Harry Potter, but of fanfics about Harry Potter._

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Really, eighteen reviews? You guys are the best.**

Chapter 2

Meeting New People

_A__ few minutes later…_

"So, Mr Potter…"

"Who says I am Mr Potter?" the dark-haired boy asked challengingly. 

Dumbledore smiled patiently. "Your brother."

"He isn't my brother."

"Oh?"

"He's Mum and Dad's charity cause," the teenager explained. "They took him from an orphanage for brain-damaged children. Something is wrong with his head. Has been ever since he was born. Half of the time, he doesn't know what he's talking about."

Kingsley Shacklebolt laughed. "You kids are incredible," he said. "But finally, you'll have to tell us what's going on and you know that."

The boy shook his head. "Not until we can talk to Teddy and James first."

Seeing the interrogation of the newcomers as a waste of time this far, Dumbledore decided to use a more subtle method. The oldest girl was the most suitable for his purpose, because she would surely know the most of what was going on here and how they had appeared in this place at this moment. He concentrated and directed his mind, aiming at hers. For a moment, he saw a sea that was raging against a rock, a garden with walnut-trees and three laughing children with silver hair playing in there, then the Gryffindor common room and a flash of something that looked like blue hair, and then…

"Out!" she said sharply.

Dumbledore blinked and for his greatest surprise, he felt himself being pushed out of the girl's mind. How had she felt that he had been using Legilimancy on her? He had been so careful! And how had she been able to push him off?

"Resisting mind attacks is one of the things that are compulsory in Hogwarts schedule," she said coldly. "Although I must say, I expected this from some Dark wizards, not from the leader of the Light."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, his amusement more evident now. Despite her youth, this girl was a serious opponent. "I am sorry, Miss - ?" He looked at her with inquisitively arched eyebrow.

Victoire could not help it – she laughed. "Really, Headmaster, do you think I am _that_ stupid?" she asked.

"That thought never crossed my mind," Dumbledore assured her, smiling. "So, it seems that we are in most awkward situation. What do you suggest for solving our problem?"

"Well, you could bring Teddy and James to us," she shrugged.

"So you can equalize your versions!" Sirius burst out.

Victoire grinned again – she felt that that would piss him further and she could not resist the temptation. No one who hit Teddy or imprisoned him in a room could not hope for Victoire's forgiveness, even if Teddy had been the one to bring this upon himself. "Really, Mr Black," she said, "do you honestly believe that we are some sorts of spies? Of Death Eaters? That we are people who _have_ versions to equalize? Me and Teddy I can understand, but the children?"

Sirius glared at her dirtily. For all her beauty, she was a real pain in the ass. "What do you want?" he asked angrily. "All of you? Tell us, so we can arrange something."

"Teddy," Rose said. "We want to talk to Teddy."

"Well, you can't talk to him right now."

"Then, we have nothing to tell you."

"Please," Kingsley said in a calming voice, "don't behave like children."

"We _are_ children," Rose reminded him. "And we should behave as such."

Sirius impatiently kicked the wall and groaned, because the only thing hurt was not the wall – it was his toe. _I can almost believe that they come from the future_, he thought. _This little Miss Bushy Know-It-All not only looks like Hermione Granger, but she also sounds like her. I don't know how Harry and Ron put up with _her.

"Hey, what's going on here?" 

A young, red-haired man had just entered the room that they were in. He wore his long hair in a pony-tail, his eyes were warm and smiling. He was quite attractive, Victoire decided, and somewhat… familiar…

This time, Louis realized what was going on before her. "Dad!" he exclaimed, before he could stop himself.

The young man's eyes went wide with amazement. Victoire, now sure that it was a younger and unscarred version of her father standing in front of her, looked at Louis and hissed, "Can you say it louder? We are trying to be as discreet as possible and now you go and do this! God, you are as stupid as James!"

"Oh, go to the devil!" Louis cut her off. "I am fed up with you for today. You are smart. And you are too fond of bossing people around."

"Wait for a moment!" Bill had not mastered yet the authoritative voice that would later make his future children leave their objections unsaid, but his voice was still the same and Victoire and Louis both shut up out of pure habit. "Who are you?"

"They come from the future, Bill," Sirius informed him. "At least, they say they do."

"We don't say any such thing," Rose said in calm voice. "James is the one who said we did, but he is not quite all right with his head and neither is anyone who believes anything that he says."

Suddenly, Sirius grinned and changed his opinion. He liked the Bushy. He liked her a lot. She was a smart girl, no doubt about that. "People said the same thing about _my_ James," he said.

Meanwhile, Bill's eyes were moving from one silver head to the other. His face slowly paled. "Fleur…" he said and then he grinned widely. "So, I finally got my girl, didn't I?"

"Please, ladies and gentleman," Dumbledore said, "this thing has gone too far. Everything keeps becoming more and more complicated, so I ask all of you to stay calm and not ask and answer any questions right now."

"But, Dumbledore," Bill objected, "they say they are my children, I have to know – "

"We are saying no such thing," Victoire said curtly. "It's just Louis being his usual idiotic self. No need to look at me like that, Louis, you know it's true – "

"Louis," Bill slowly repeated. "The French form of the name?"

Victoire groaned inwardly and then openly. Loudly. "What did I do to deserve this?" she asked no one in particular. "I was supposed to be a bride today, not in the middle of this whole bloody mess." Then, she put herself together and looked at the four men decidedly. "Listen, I've got a proposal for you."

"We are listening, Miss Weasley," Dumbledore said and this time, she did not correct him.

"If you let us see Teddy and James, we are going to tell you everything that is safe for you to know. Not everything we know, because that might change too many things, but we'll let you interrogate us and make sure that we aren't Death Eaters."

Everyone caught the implication in her words. "So, it's true? You really come from the future and you are my daughter?" Bill asked.

Victoire only smiled. "You want to know? Then let us see Teddy and James."

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_An hour later…_

Sirius almost expected to see the James boy dead, when he opened the door of the room where he had left him with this Teddy lad, but to his surprise, everything looked surprisingly calm. James was curled on the sofa in a manner that Sirius recognized as trying to pretend that everything was in control and Teddy was standing next to the window and looking outside. All parts of him that Sirius could see were half of his profile and his red hair. _Red hair? It was green a while ago! Does he dye it or is he related to Tonks?_

"We have to talk," Sirius said.

"I agree."

Teddy motioned to James to get up and then turn around. Sirius held his breath. He would recognize this face everywhere. It was Remus'. "Where did you steal that face from?" he asked, his former mistrust of Teddy coming back in full force.

Teddy shot him a glance that was almost pitying. "It's mine, Black," he said patiently, as if he was talking to a very small child. "I was born with it."

"If you say so," Sirius replied doubtfully, not letting him leave the reach of his wand, while both boys were walking in front of him to the kitchen.

Teddy rolled his eyes, thinking that maybe all those stories about his father being so smart and all were not true, after all – smart people would not make best friends with obvious idiots!

The kitchen was full of people. Most of them he knew, either by their older versions – all those people had visited his Grandma's home, bringing him sweets and taking him for a walk – or by photos. Emmeline Vance smiled at him, while Mad-Eye Moody grunted something, his magical eye trying to burn a hole through Teddy's scalp, Severus Snape glowered and – Teddy's heart made a sudden leap here – his own mother beamed at him. Teddy quickly averted his gaze and was immensely relieved to see Victoire and the kids, all in one piece and unharmed. Almost immediately, his hair turned blue, as it always did, when he was happy, and that made some of the others gasp, realizing what he was.

"Wotcher!" his mother explained. "You are a Metamorphmagus too!" She seemed fascinated to meet a kindred soul.

"Yes, I am," Teddy confirmed. "What's going on?" he asked Victoire.

"Things are getting out of hand," she explained. "We have to prove that we aren't Death Eaters."

Teddy's jaw dropped down. 'We have to prove – ?" he repeated and then burst out laughing. "Oh, that's rich. They think that we are – that the children are – Death Eaters? They think _James_ is smart enough to be a spy?"

"I heard that!" James cried indignantly.

"We have to tell them some things," Victoire said. "Not everything, but we have to prove who we are. Otherwise, they will give us Veritaserum."

Teddy's eyes widened and he looked at Kingsley and then at Dumbledore. The old wizard nodded. "We have to be sure."

Teddy thought about it for a moment and then slowly nodded. "That sounds reasonably," he admitted. "How are we going to make the test?"

"Am I right in assuming that your skills in Legilimancy can match those of Miss Weasley?" Dumbledore asked.

Teddy nodded.

"Then you have to let your guard down and let me penetrate your mind. I promise that I will refrain from any unnecessary curiosity and will leave you alone as long as I know who you are and where you are from."

"All right," Teddy said. "But only me. You won't want anything from either Victoire or the children and you certainly _won't_ force them to take Veritaserum."

Snape's glare turned from hostile to murderous. Teddy could only think that the man must have taken his words as either insult to his beloved Potions or to his ability to prepare the Veritaserum right, or maybe as a hint that he, Snape, would try to poison the kids… Teddy did not particularly care. "And act carefully while you're in my head, otherwise I'll kick you out _immediately_. Gaining too much knowledge can change too many things in the future and I'm sure you understand that I'd rather be born."

"We have a deal," Dumbledore nodded. Not even a minute later, he had already seen Teddy's Sorting, little Teddy with Harry, Teddy proposing to Victoire… and that was enough.

"We can trust them," the Headmaster said calmly. 

"They really came from the future?" Molly Weasley asked incredulously. 

"We do," Victoire said. Then, she looked at Teddy and he shrugged.

"A Time Turner was broken," he said, "and it seems that we'll have to stay here for a while, until some of our people find out how to come here and bring us back to our own time, so I suppose it'll be better if we just tell you our names."

"You do that," Mad-Eye growled. It seemed that even Dumbledore's word would not be enough for him to put his trust in strangers who refused to reveal their names.

"But later, when we are ready to go back to our own time, we'll have to Obliviate you and make you forget all about us," Victoire warned. "We don't want the future fatally changed."

"Neither do we, Miss Weasley," Dumbledore said.

"And you aren't going to ask us questions about your won future or who our parents are," Teddy added. "We ask us no questions, we tell you no lies. Deal?"

Dumbledore nodded, his eyes thoughtful. "Deal."

They shook on it.

Teddy knew that he had to start first. "I am Ted Lupin," he said.

A wave of whisper filled the room. He saw his mother's eyes widening with realization and then sheer joy. She turned to look at a man who Teddy had not noticed until now – an older, grey-haired, more worn out version of himself. Now, he realized why everyone said that he was a real copy of his father. Remus Lupin looked amazed, thrilled and horrified at the same time. Teddy could practically read the stream of questions that was flooding his mind: _Is it true? How is it possible? Is Tonks his mother? She must be, since he is a Metamorphmagus. Is he a werewolf? _Teddy suddenly realized that during his stay here, he would have the chance to get to know his parents. That thought left him speechless. He was as horrified as he was fascinated. He had wanted to meet them for so long – but it wasn't the way he had imagined it! First, they would not know how to behave as his parents. Second, he would not know how to behave as their son. Third, he should not let them know that he did not know them. _Bloody mess. All James' fault_.

"He is Ted Lupin, a Head Boy, Dungbombs Destroyer, Fun Demolisher, Teachers' Pet," the devil boy himself declared – he obviously still held grudge because of Teddy's words that he was not smart enough to be a spy.

Sirius' face took a horrified expression. His mouth opened and closed like a fish, before he could find his voice again. "Moony?"

"What?"

"When my name is cleared, I am moving in with you and Tonks."

Tonks stood gaping at him. Remus' face did not change. "Why is that?"

"Didn't you hear that? A Head Boy, Dungbombs Destroyer, Fun Demolisher, Teacher's Pet," Sirius recited with obvious disgust. "A _Head Boy_, Remus! Someone has to show the boy the right way and it obviously won't be you. Look what you taught him – to be an adorable little do-gooder, just like you… No, no, I'm moving in and that's it!"

Teddy could not say that he liked Sirius Black too much, but it suddenly pained him to know that the man would never move in with Teddy's parents… or anywhere else, that all three of them would be dead in less than three years.

"I am Victoire Weasley," Vickie said and Bill beamed, obviously imagining making her and the woman he would make her with… Unfortunately, judging by the look in Sirius' eyes, he was having some very similar thoughts… No, Teddy did not like him and that was it!

Teddy thought he heard a sigh and a muffled desperate whisper of "Oh no, Bill actually married her!" from Molly's direction, but that was stupid, probably just a figment of his imagination. Grandma Molly liked Aunt Fleur. Everybody liked her.

"A new invasion of Potters and Weasleys is threatening the wizarding world, I see," Snape said dryly. "Is Hogwarts still standing in your time?"

This time, Teddy could whole-heartedly sympathize with Sirius Black, when the man threw Snape a baleful glance. "Shut up, Snivellus," he said.

"I am James Potter," James said, looking quickly at Teddy to make sure it was all right to talk. _Now_ he was looking at Teddy – alas, _after_ he had landed them here.

"I am Al Potter," Albus said. It was a rare occasion when Al could not keep his nerves, but after all, he was related to James Potter and the Weasley twins and that meant that he was prone to some 'tell them and wait to see what happens next' acts. "Albus _Severus_ Potter," he added, looking at Snape.

BANG! Sirius' chair hit the floor, while he was jumping at his feet. His face was red and his eyes looked like they would pop out of his head any moment. "I can't believe it!" he bellowed. "Is Harry mad or what? I'll Firecall him and beat some sense into him right now – "

"You won't do any such thing," Remus said firmly, grabbing him by the hand, while Snape, who had become even paler, said, looking straight at Al, "I forbid."

His voice was deadly calm. Al grinned in response. "I am not the one who should be forbidden. It's not like I chose my own name. To be honest, it is the last name I would have chosen. Really, _Albus Severus_? Do us both a favor and talk to my father, would you?"

Teddy laughed out loud, picturing in his mind Severus Snape talking to the fifth-year Harry Potter, telling him not to name his child after him! From what Teddy knew about their relationship at this time, Harry would probably think Snape had gone mad.

He felt someone looking at him and turned his head. It was his father. There was an amused smile on Remus' face and Teddy suddenly knew that he was imagining the same scene. Teddy smiled in response.

The introductions continued.

"Lily Potter."

"Fed Weasley."

"Another grandson! Arthur, did you hear that?" That was the absolutely happy Molly.

"Not another one!" Snape.

"Louis Weasley."

"How many of you _are_ there? Do I have to teach all of you? No need to tell me who the two of you are," Snape added, looking at Rose and Hugo. "Red and bushy hair, know-it-all look, freckles, you must be related to Granger and Weasley."

"No need to tell me who _you_ are," Hugo retaliated. "A mountain for a nose, sallow face, snake eyes, never heard of shampoo, you must be Snape."

Snape fell speechless… and so did the others, neither of who had expected that the newcomer, who had not said a word, would have the guts to make such a remark. Sirius whistled loudly. _Go on, lad!_

"You'd better watch your mouth, boy," Snape said slowly.

"And what if I don't?" Hugo challenged. "You are going to give me a detention? Listen to me, _Professor_." He somehow made the last word sound like an insult, "I am not my father. I am not your student and I see no reason why I should put up with you. I'll watch my mouth _only_ if you watch yours. Is that clear?"

Sirius laughed out loud. The look on Snape's face was priceless! He decided that he liked this Weasley, whatever his name was. He just did not like him as much as he liked Victoire Weasley, though. She was far more pleasant to look at, so he turned his head to look at her… and found out that he was unable to do so. The muscles of his neck were completely paralyzed!

His first thought was Snape… He turned aside to look at him, but his enemy still stared at the Weasley boy with the same hatred that Sirius had considered reserved for him and Moony. No, Snape had not done that… but then who had?

A hand nudged him in the ribs and a voice hissed in his ear, "That was for ogling my fiancée. Don't worry, the effect will wear off in a few hours, but keep in mind that I can always repeat the incantation if you don't keep your eyes for yourself."

Sirius gaped at the young Teddy Lupin. A moment later, another voice said softly, "Well, I think that settles it. It seems that I did good job in bringing him up, after all. No need for you to move in with us."

Sirius had recovered enough from the shock to argue reasonably. "No, Moony, _I_ did the good job. You don't think it was you who taught him these tricks, do you? It seems that I _did_ move in with you after all."

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**A.N. So? Like it still? Review! Please?**

13

\/p> 


	3. Getting Used to One Another

WAW 3

_Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, I wouldn't need going to work._

**Thank you for all your wonderful reviews. I am sorry for the long delay, but I've been busy with other things and I didn't have the time that this story deserved. But the new chapter is finally here. Am I forgiven?**

Getting Used to One Another

_Four days later…_

"Teddy? Teddy!"

The young Metamorphmagus, who had been looking through the window at the rose garden, tossed his head back and turned to Victoire. "I haven't realized that you've come, Vickie," he said.

"Yeah, I noticed…What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Victoire shook her head. Sometimes, Teddy really irritated her – did he really think that he could fool her? His brown hair was the best indication for her that his spirits were quite low. "Hey, Morph-boy, how do you expect of our marriage to work, when you are lying to me, before we are even married?"

Teddy smirked – Vickie's ability to benefit from every situation was something that had always intrigued him, amused him, and drove him mad. "Well, let's see," he started, his hair changing from miserable brown to not so miserable dark-violet. "We are here, trapped in a time that is not ours, and in the middle of a war against the Big Bad Guy. We can't find a way to get back, we have to be careful about each word we say and I have to meet on a daily basis with my parents, pretending to know at least something about them. Yes, Victoire, I'd say that this situation counts as 'wrong'."

Victoire's eyes filled with concern. "I am sorry," she said contritely, "I should have realized that it is harder for you than the rest of us."

"Sweet Merlin, no!" Teddy exclaimed, horrified that he had been understood _this way_. An angry Victoire was not his favourite sort of Victoire, but it was a Victoire that he was used to. A concerned Victoire, who had decided that someone needed her help, compassion and care, was a forceful Victoire, who was too much like her grandmother for Teddy's liking. If he was not careful enough, he might find himself sitting docilely at the table and drinking liters of hot tea! Victoire seemed to think that tea was a universal medicine for everything. "No, I am fine, I really am! It's just… strange, that's all."

Victoire would gladly push him further to share how he truly felt, but suddenly, as often happened lately, she felt weak and the world around her swirled like a spiral blizzard. She closed her eyes and exerted all her strength to suppress the nausea that was gripping her stomach. A few moments later, the revolting wave had withdrawn. Thank Merlin, Teddy had not noticed anything – he had resumed his staring though the window. Victoire curiously peeked out, but all she saw were dead roses and two heads – one dark, the other red-haired.

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_A few hours later…_

The explosion happened during dinner. Molly's chicken soup had already vanished into the many hungry mouths around the kitchen table and the potatoes and meat balls would obviously face the same fate. Her grandchildren – plus Teddy – enjoyed her cooking in this time as much as they did in their own. Rose and Remus talked about lessons – the two of them seemed to get along really fine, - Hugo and Al were talking in hushed voices, Louis seemed to be in one of his worst moods, Victoire and Lily were giggling along with Tonks and James heatedly described to Sirius all sides of the misfortune to be a classmate of the female demon named Jillian Hart.

"I mean, really! Always studying, already staying in the common room until the tiny hours in the morning, engrossed in _books_!" There was indignation in James' voice. "And to think that I considered Aunt Hermione bookish!"

"James!" Victoire snapped and his face fell immediately. Teddy sighed. It was _always_ like that, but then, well, they'd have a better chance at teaching Voldemort to sing Christmas carols than making of James something more than James.

"I'm sorry!"

"Of course you are."

"I am!"

"Leave him be, Vickie," Teddy told her. To James, he added, "I swear, James, you are a real fountain of information. What wouldn't Death Eaters give to lay their hands on you."

There was no malice in Teddy's voice, though, and James immediately felt it – he had a radar that was working flawlessly, detecting when people were angry with him and when they were simply pretending to be.

"It's true, though," he stubbornly insisted. "This stupid Hart, I wonder what other interests she has. I think she has none at all. Books are everything she has."

"Shut up, James!" Rose interrupted, and her cousin swallowed uncomfortably, before actually shutting up – after Lily, Rose was the last person that he wanted to get embroiled with. She was not a prank lover, but when she decided that her brother and/or her cousins had gone too far, she could be quite malicious and very, very dangerous.

"Is this Jillian Hart a red-head?" Sirius asked.

James looked at him, surprised. "No, she's a blonde," he said. "Why?"

Sirius avoided the teen's gaze. "Nothing," he said, and Teddy clenched his jaw.

"Although, I am not sure whether she's a real blonde," James continued. "I mean, her hair is almost white, like…" He was going to say 'like an albino's," but then he met Victoire's warning look and suddenly remembered that his pale-blond oldest cousin would not appreciate that comparison. "Like Malfoy's."

Al rolled his eyes. "How did Scorpius appear in this conversation?"

"Who is Scorpius?" Hestia Jones asked.

"Scorpius Malfoy," Louis said. "Al's best friend. Ouch!"

"Oh, shut up!" his sister hissed. "It doesn't hurt, so stop pretending!"

"It does!" Louis hissed back, rubbing the spot on his head where Victoire had hit him.

"Malfoy!" Sirius burst out. "You're best friends with _Malfoy_?" he roared at Al.

"Don't yell at him!" Teddy snapped. While they were stuck in this time, he was responsible for the kids and even if he weren't, he had never appreciated anyone yelling at them. Anyone out of the family, anyway.

Two identical icy glances shot daggers at him.

"What, you think I'm going to do something to him or what?" Sirius asked aggressively.

"Thanks for your concern, Teddy, but I can keep my own ground." That was Al.

"Of course you can, but until I return all of you safely to your parents, I am responsible for you."

"Teddy…"

"You're best friends with _Malfoy_?" Sirius decided to turn the conversation back to the really important matter. "Is Harry mad? Malfoy can…"

"Kill me?" Al sounded amused. "He doesn't know any lethal curses yet."

James decided to lighten the conversation. "Hey, I had my reservations, too, but now I know that everything is all right. Scorpius Malfoy is an okay guy, he is. I mean, he's always helpful, he's best friends with Al and Rosie fancies him…"

"_Rotate_!" Rose yelled and James immediately started whirling in quick circles, along with his chair that was now standing on two legs.

"Dear God!" Molly gasped. Remus hurriedly stopped the incantation and James' chair collided with a loud thunder with the floor. James immediately pointed his wand at Rose, but with a quick spell, Victoire Disarmed both of them.

"Ah, sweet memories!" Sirius sighed, laughing. This kid was so much like his James that it hurt. And if only Rose Weasley was red-haired, he could almost imagine that he was back at Hogwarts, in the common room, where Lily and James were fighting.

"Are they almost like that?" Arthur Weasley asked.

"Probably," Bill said. "I mean, they are not unlike the twins and Ginny..."

The rest of the phrase remained unsaid, because one look at his mother's face told the young man that it was not the best time to bring the twins into the conversation.

"He deserved it," Lily said nastily, because she did not particularly fancy the idea of Rose fancying Scorpius.

"Oh yes," Rose agreed. "I do not like Scorpius!" she said aloud, very firmly.

"Ah, you surely don't," Al muttered under his nose. "I just wonder…"

"You'd _better_ not!" Hugo might be only a younger brother to Rose, but his brotherly instincts were quite developed. The idea of Rose liking – _fancying_ – a guy was something that he could never imagine.

"Get used to it," Louis advised him, through mouthfuls of salad. "Believe me, I've experienced it."

"Exchanging cousinly advices?" Victoire asked sweetly, but both boys looked startled, before shaking their heads in perfect unison.

Emmeline Vance caught Teddy's glance and asked quietly, "Is it always like that in your time?" She looked pointedly and amusedly at the agitated cousins.

"No," Teddy answered, smiling. "Sometimes, it can be really noisy and messy."

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_Later this night…_

By now, Rose and Lily were deeply asleep. Victoire couldn't bring herself to sleep, though. Everything was too confusing, too frightening. She and Teddy, along with the members of the Order and Dumbledore himself, were trying to find a way to create a Time-Turner with a backward effect – one that would send them back home, but until now, they had had no success. Just like she knew they wouldn't have. The effect of Time-Turners was one-sided even in her own time, so what chance did they have to create the one they needed here, twenty-four years earlier? But they needed to keep trying, even if it was only for keeping their hope high.

Then, there was that other thing that kept pestering her: she could not keep her secret for longer. Sooner or later, everyone would get to know it. And what if they didn't return to their own time the exact moment when they had been transported here? She did not dare to think about that possibility.

Suddenly, she felt a strong need to see Teddy. He would know what to do. He would hug her and comfort her, and say that everything would be all right, and she would believe him, even if it was only for a short time.

Victoire opened her eyes and slipped out of bed very carefully – she did not want to wake her cousins. Slowly, she opened the door and stepped out in the corridor, illuminating her way with her wand.

She had almost reached the room where Teddy, James and Al were sleeping, when she heard the noise – the unmistakable sound of sobbing. Frowning, she hurried downstairs and entered the living room.

"Grandma?"

Seeing the girl, who had just entered the room, Molly Weasley quickly stood up from the sofa and wiped her eyes. Victoire felt a little pang in her heart – although she knew that she and the others were practically strangers to everybody here, it still hurt that her grandmother had no feelings for her.

"Did I wake you?" Molly asked. "I'm sorry…"

"No, I was awake. I just wanted… never mind that, how are you?"

"Me? I'm all right." Molly smiled bravely. "Just a bad moment, that's all."

Victoire hesitated, but then she Levitated a stool opposite her grandmother and sat on it. "Were you thinking of Uncle Percy?" she asked.

Molly looked at her, bemused. "How… how do you…?"

Victoire smiled. "Don't forget where I grew up," she said. "I know many things."

"Will he come back to us?" Molly asked eagerly, her face brightening with hope.

Victoire hesitated for a second time, but finally, she decided that this information was not important for the Order, while for her grandmother it would be crucial. "Let's say that up to the moment I was extracted from my time," she said, "Uncle Percy was a frequent guest at my parents' house."

At any other moment, Molly would be disgruntled at the involuntary reminder that Bill would marry that awful French girl, but now, she was too taken with the news about Percy and too happy to even notice that. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you so much."

Victoire smiled. "I am glad I could help," she said.

Slowly, hesitantly, Molly looked up and met Victoire's gaze. The girl's blue eyes seemed darker at the light of her wand.

"I dream of that every night," Molly said slowly, reluctantly. "About Percy, about all of them, about that awful war. I see them dead every night. I can't sleep. I can't believe that all of us are going to make it unharmed. What if something awful happens? What if…" Her eyes, set on Victoire's, became intent. "You come from the future, so you must know… What's going to happen?"

Victoire stood like paralyzed, not able to think of something to say.

"Please, tell me."

"You know that I can't," Victoire finally whispered.

Molly seemed resolute. "Tell me…"

In Victoire's mind, thoughts were chasing each other and clashing with loud thundering. _What should I do? How can I tell her? How can I _not_ tell her?_ But then, what could she say? The knowledge that Fred would die would certainly not sound reassuring. And her grandmother needed reassuring. Victoire had to give it to her without revealing anything tangible. But how _could_ she do that?

"Listen," she finally said, "I want to help you, Grandma, I really do. But I can't tell you what you're asking me. I can't reveal any specific information."

Molly's face fell.

"You know that such a revelation could change the future," Victoire went on. "So I can't. But I am going to tell you _something_."

"Yes?"

"Do you know what my name means? I mean, in French."

"No, I…" And then Molly got it. "Victory," she whispered, amazed. "_Victoire_ – Victory."

The girl nodded.

For a few moments, Molly just stared at her and then Victoire suddenly felt her arms around her and it was almost as if she was at the Burrow and running over to her Granny for a hug and a cookie. She hugged her back fiercely.

"Thank you," Molly whispered.

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**A. N. So? Does this chapter exonerate me?**

8


	4. Jealousy

When Are We 4

**Disclaimer: I hate those, so I won't write one. No need of that, really, you already know that I… look at the previous disclaimer.**

_Wow! __Ninety reviews! You guys are great!_

Chapter 4

Jealousy

_Six days later…_

"I am bored," James announced at the dinner table.

Victoire's age widened in alarm. "You are not bored," she said. A bored James meant a trouble in the house. TROUBLE, in capital letters.

"But I am!"

"No, you are not!" she insisted, this time more firmly.

"I am! We've been stuck in this house without leaving for _days_!"

"Do tell," Sirius said, and Victoire threw him an annoyed glance.

"You're not helping, Sirius," Teddy said calmly. "Now, James, would you mind suggesting a way to save you from your boredom?"

James considerably brightened. "Of course!" he said. "You can just let me out of the house."

"Oh yes!" Fred enthusiastically supported him. "A little exploring can be a great idea…"

"You won't do any such thing!" Molly Weasley shrieked, the fact that she barely knew these children hardly mattering anymore. She was used to dealing with impulsive, hot-headed, unruly children who wanted to do something dangerous. She took a deep breath and tried to look as authoritative as possible. "While your parents aren't here, we are due to take care of you It is dangerous and I absolutely forbid."

"But why?" Rose asked plaintively. "If we are careful enough…"

Victoire couldn't believe her ears. Rose was supporting James' stupidity? Their nice, level-headed, sensible Rose?

"Ha!" James exclaimed triumphantly, his voice and face unimaginably smug. "You see? It isn't only me!"

Teddy looked pensive. "Well, I suppose if we are careful enough…" he said, and then his vision was obscured by the sight of red hair. Lots of red hair: Lily had thrown herself at him, hugging him and repeating, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Hey, I didn't say anything about you!" Teddy protested, but she pretended not to have heard him.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Well, that's enough!" Victoire said firmly and stood up, resolved to deal with the situation immediately, before more of the kids or worse – she herself – would be infected with James' whim. Truth be told, she was sick of sitting in the house like a prisoner, she was sick of the malicious house-elf and even more of his mistress. But she could not imagine how they would go back to their own time and tell the family that they've lost one – or more – of the kids. And they would surely lose them, because two of them out in the wild together – no matter which two – meant calling for trouble. Even one of them meant just that, if the one in question was James or Fred Weasley – or sometimes even Louis.

She turned to the source of the problem. "You know, you aren't bored," she said. "You think you are, but you aren't, really..."

The source of the problem was not to be dissuaded, though. Victoire knew too well what this petulant expression meant.

"Leave him be, Vickie," Teddy sighed, "there is no use of that."

"I guess you're right," she sighed. "Very well. Someone else wants to go out?"

"Victoire!" Molly gasped.

"Leave her alone, Mum," Charlie, who had had more than enough experience with younger siblings who were just as stubborn as those kids, advised her wisely. "There is a smart girl," he winked at her.

Teddy growled. Charlie, who had arrived only two days earlier, still tended to forget that all these young newcomers were his nieces and nephews and Teddy had never had much patience for guys who tried to flirt with Victoire. Especially when these guys were roguishly handsome, as Dominique often described them.

As it turned out, Victoire did not need anyone's help to deal with the situation. "You are a dear, Uncle Charlie," she said sweetly, and Bill and Sirius laughed.

"Oh Merlin, that was good!" Tonks choked. "Quick, someone give me a camera, I must save this expression of his for the end of time!"

Finally, Charlie laughed too. "You really are a smart girl, you know?" He smiled at Victoire. "Did you hear that? That was the sound of the crack of my ego."

"I am sorry," she said contritely.

"Oh that was good!" Tonks said. "Charlie, you really should have seen your face."

"You've spent too much time with your Aunt Ginny," Charlie told Victoire and she found it hard to keep her face straight.

Anyway, Fred would not let them move the conversation to another topic. "_I _want out," he said, answering to Victoire's earlier question.

"I want out," James added hastily.

"I want out," Lily echoed.

One by one, all the children declared that they wanted out and despite Mrs Weasley's many protests, Teddy and Victoire said that they would see to it.

"But not everyone at the same time, right?" Remus asked.

"Why not?" Sirius wondered aloud.

"Because they will make a chaos that would make a hundred Hippogriphs proud, Padfoot," Remus explained patiently.

Sirius gave him a puzzled look. "That's what I mean," he said. "Merlin knows that this world needs a little cheering up…"

"Yes!" James piped in, excitedly.

Teddy shot Sirius an irritated glance. "Now look what you've done," he said. The man was certainly starting to spite the hell out of him, first with his _obvious_ liking of Victoire and second, with the way he treated James. For God's sake, Sirius was an adult there and James was the kid. They were not schoolmates! James certainly did not need Sirius' encouraging him for further mischief – he was good enough at it on his own and he was hard enough to control as it was.

"No," Teddy said firmly, looking at James. "Sorry for disappointing you, but everyone going out at the same time is out of question. It simply isn't acceptable. End of the story. Understood?"

Silence. "Understood?" Teddy asked in his most authoritative voice, the horrible perspective of all Weasley and Potter kids running around in a frenzy of excitement giving an extra stern edge of it.

"Understood. Tyrant," James answered and turned aside to sulk over the situation.

Bill whistled and gave Teddy an apprehensive look. "How do you do that?" he asked in an undertone, not meant for James' ears.

"I've got years of practice," Teddy said, grinning.

"So," Victoire said, "that's the plan: we'll be leaving the house in groups. Bill, you will come and take Louis and me tomorrow morning."

"Will I?" Bill asked.

"Yes, will he?" Louis joined him. "Why – "

"Because I am not leaving the house with you without some extra help," Victoire explained. What she didn't say was that no matter how young Bill was now, he was still their father and she relied on his unconscious authority over Louis. They both were better off without knowing that this authority existed.

"What!" Al and James, who had temporarily forgotten that he was sulking, exclaimed. "Why you should be the first ones?"

"Because I say so," Victoire answered smoothly. The truth was, she was not sure that she could bear another day in the house with the mad portrait without going mad herself.

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_The next day…_

"It looks so boring," Louis whispered.

Bill looked at him, surprised. "What does?"

"Diagon-Alley."

The elder Weasley looked even more surprised. "I never noticed it." Well, he might have not, given the fact that the street was full of people, running up and down on errands in their bright robes in all colours. Owls were hooting, sellers were trying to attract their potential customers to their shops and so on. On the other hand, Victoire could easily sympathize with her brother's feelings – Diagon-Alley looked really boring and dull without the Weasley jokeshop – all flashily decorated window display and buzz. Yeah, _that_ was a shop that didn't need any human efforts to attract customers – if anything, the problem with it was that it did not have enough room to _accommodate_ its customers. Yeah, Diagon-Alley could really go with it.

"I want ice-cream," she announced.

Louis and Bill turned their heads simultaneously to look at her with identical disbelieving looks. "Ice-cream?" Louis repeated. "You want ice-cream in _November_?"

She met his gaze with a stubborn one of her own. "Yes," she said. "Is there a problem with that?"

Bill and Louis looked at each other and shook their heads. "No," Bill said, a bit weakly, "not at all."

They led her to Florian Fortesque's, where they met the owner's surprised look with resign shrugs, and then watched horrified, while Victoire was making her order: a vanilla ice-cream with a dressing of chocolate, caramel, orange and strawberry jam…

"Are you really going to eat this stuff?" Louis wanted to know.

Victoire barely spared the time to look at him, before attacking the softening mess. "Do you want some?" she asked.

Louis shook his head. Just looking at her eating that mix made his stomach turn.

"Stupid," his sister said and pushed another spoon into her mouth, before suddenly pressing both her hands to her mouth in a desperate effort to control the nausea that had gripped her. Her face turned completely white and she concentrated so hard in keeping her breakfast – and the ice-cream – where they were that she barely registered the panicked voices of Bill and Louis who were asking what was wrong with her.

"Nothing is wrong with me," she said, when she had regained at least some semblance of control over her body. "I'm fine."

"That's what you've got, when you eat stuff like that," Louis said.

"Oh shut your trap!" Victoire snapped and reached to shake him, which resulted only in the world spinning around her. "No, I'm fine!"

"The hell you are!" Bill said roughly. "Come on, my flat is nearby."

"No need, I'll be fine in a few minutes…"

Victoire's 'being fine in a few minutes' turned out in a way that forced Bill and Louis almost to carry her upstairs and into Bill's flat. Her head was lolling lethargically and she felt like a dozen dragons had decided to have a dance in her head.

"The kitchen is this way," Bill told Louis. "Give her some water and a towel; I will take her to bed."

And he did just that – swept her in his arms, propping her head against his shoulder, and carried her to his bedroom. He did not know what was wrong with her, but she looked like she would die any minute now, closed eyes and everything. He placed her on his bed and smoothed a lock of silver hair away from her face.

"WHAT"S GOING ON HERE?"

Victoire's eyes fluttered open at the sound of the familiar voice. The last time she had heard such fury in it had been when she had decided that the two-year old Dominique was too loud for her to bear and she had used her father's wand to make her mute. How had she achieved it, she still didn't know.

Bill stood up and looked at the fury that was standing on the door leading to his bathroom: her hair was still dripping with water and she wore a pair of jeans that Bill recognized as his own. She had obviously decided to surprise him with an unexpected visit and Merlin, hadn't she succeeded!

"Fleur, I – " he started, unsure of what he was going to say next. It turned out that it did not matter anyway, because his mouth was suddenly full of the towel that she had thrown right in his face.

"Howe dare you!" she screeched and Bill shuddered, suddenly realizing how it would look to everyone who was not acquainted with the real situation: he was bent over a stunning blonde who he had laid in his bed, his hand still on her head.

"It isn't what it looks like!" he said hurriedly.

"Oh, isn't it?"

_Blue eyes can tear a man like no others_, Bill thought. In this moment, Fleur looked ready to kill. "I can explain!"

But Fleur was in no mood for explanations. "Fine! You can explain afterwards."

"After what?" Bill asked, feeling that he was definitely losing the thread.

"After I kill you!"

"Who are you going to kill?" Victoire was getting definitely curious. Their parents' fights had always fascinated the three Weasley kids – their mother losing her temper was a rarity, but it was always spectacular. Lost in her curiosity, Victoire had not realized the real danger that she was in.

"You! And you!"

Victoire blinked. "What?" she asked.

"Yes, what?" Bill seconded.

Without offering verbal explanation, Fleur made her point clear by running to the bed, grabbing Victoire's hair in her fist and pulling at it hard. Victoire screamed and Fleur slapped her face. "You," she shrieked, "how dare you! Next time, you go and find a man who is single! This one is mine!"

She emphasized her words by a malicious pinch and then sat on Victoire to prevent any sort of resistance. "You slut!" she screamed. "I'll kill you! How dare you put your paws on him! I will – "

Bill grabbed her and pulled her aside. Alas, his hand turned out to be dangerously close to Fleur's mouth and she buried her teeth in his flesh without the slightest hesitation. Bill yelled and yanked his hand off. "I'll kill you!" Fleur screamed. "How dare you bringing her here! I'll pull all her hair up by the roots! I'll gouge your eyes out! You're mine! _I will kill you!_"

Bill groaned, because her polished nails made a painful connection with his cheek, missing the eye merely by inches. "For God's sake, woman, calm down!"

"I don't want to calm down!" she said shrilly and turned to Victoire, who was feebly trying to stand up, beaten by both her indisposition and the feeling that everything was so surreal and so ridiculous... no, scratch that. Yes, it was ridiculous, but her mother's nails digging into her dace and the blood that started dripping beneath them were _very_ real. "Damn you!" Fleur screeched, while trying to squirm around Bill and reach her wand that was lying on the table. "I won't give you the man I love. Oh, you're both dead!"

Bill caught her again, Louis appeared from the kitchen, attracted by the shouting, and stood still at the sight, and Victoire suddenly leapt from the bed, but she could not reach the bathroom in time. Instead, she just doubled and threw up all over her still wrestling parents.

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**Well? What do you think?**

9


	5. Time of Crisis

_Disclaimer: Do I need one?_

**Sorry for not updating sooner. Too much work, too many other stories… but here I am. Thank you for all your reviews, I really can't believe that I've got 124 reviews for four chapters.**

Chapter 5

Time of Crisis

_Fifteen minutes later…_

"I am disappointed in you," Fleur said in surprisingly level voice.

Bill blinked. "_Disappointed_?"

"You could have at least come up with a better story," she stated icily. "Really, time-travelers from the future? And you dare to present her as our daughter? Yours and mine? Do you really think I'm this naïve, Bill? Do you think I'm this _stupid_?"

"No," Louis muttered, "you just haven't lived with the Weasley family yet."

Fleur shot daggers at him. "You be quiet! You still have to give me a _believable_ explanation what a kid your age is doing, while these two characters - " Her cold look turned towards Bill and Victoire. " – are doing their vileness. Aren't you too young to be infected with their ways?"

"Oh Merlin!" Bill groaned.

Propped against the pillows in her father's bed, Victoire slowly shook her head. "I don't believe it," she said, shocked. "I can't be having this conversation. It isn't normal."

At least her mother gave no indications that she untended to attack her further.

"Listen," she said, "be reasonable. If we wanted to lie to you, wouldn't we have thought of a better excuse than this one?" she asked reasonably and decided that James would pay for this. If the little brat hadn't insisted that he was bored and needed to go out, the others wouldn't have followed him and she wouldn't have been in this ridiculous situation now. Her head was killing her, she felt like she would throw up everything she'd ever eaten in her life, her cheeks were burning on the spots where her mother's nails had torn the skin and Louis looked at her as if he expected of her to remedy the situation at this very instant. Merlin, Victoire hated to be the eldest one!

"Why, I have no idea of your mental furniture and I know that this one here – " A nasty look at Bill, " – isn't as smart as I thought he was, bringing you here, instead of just taking you somewhere where there's no risk of someone knowing either of you – "

Louis noted that his sister became even paler by this new verbal attack, and he sat next to her on the bed, patting her awkwardly on the head_. Thank God that Teddy isn't here, _he thought,_ for if he had seen what Mum is capable of, he might have rethought his decision to marry Vickie and then I'll have to put up with her habit of using all the hot water in the house for her shower._

"We aren't lying," he said patiently, since Victoire had apparently lost her head. That was a first – and Merlin, hadn't she chosen the most inconvenient moment! "We _are_ from the future. You _are_ our mother. Look at us – and then have a look at the mirror, will you?"

"I am not the only blond woman in the world," she snapped.

Louis and Bill shared an exasperated look. "No wonder Dominique is such a shrew!" the boy exclaimed. "And here I thought it came on Grandma Weasley's side!"

Victoire groaned, feeling that everything was getting out of her control. _I hope Teddy is handling things better than me._

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_At the same time…_

Out of boredom, Fred and Hugo had started sliding down the railing of the staircase, yelling at the top of their voices and thus waking up the portrait of Mrs Black, who took that as a reminder to start shouting at the top of _her_ voice. Al and Rose were doing their best to ignore them, while they were reading together in the library, but Lily, who was inspecting the contents of an old wall cupboard, gave them an ear from time to time and Teddy, who was trying to memorize an interesting chapter about medieval magic, hoping to find something about the rumours that some wizards had been able to travel in time, found himself unable to concentrate over and over again.

"If they don't shut up in five minutes – " he started angrily, but then shut up, because he really couldn't blame the kids for growing impatient at being imprisoned in this grim house and anxious, since the perspectives of ever going back to their own time were so slim. For himself, he could tell that he was growing more impatient and nervous. Besides, Victoire seems to have fallen sick with something and that was worrying him no less than their other problems. _I really shouldn't let her go out alone_.

"Look what I have!" Lily exclaimed, pulling an old blue wig out of the cupboard, and immediately donned it. "What do I look like?" she asked.

Al tore his eyes from his book and gave his sister a critical look. "Disgusting," he decided and turned back to reading.

"Oh what do you know about looks, Albus Potter! You're a complete cretin when it comes to fine tastes!" Lily yelled and marched over to the mirror to have a look at herself.

"You look lovely, Lily," Teddy said. The truth was, she looked queer, to put it mildly, but Teddy had long ago decided that lies were a very useful thing to resort to when dealing with uncontrollable kids of the Potter-Weasley clan. If a lie could buy him a few minutes of peace, he was ready to lie until his jaw dislocated itself.

While Lily was staring complacently at her reflection, Teddy looked at Rose and Al. "What are you reading?" he asked.

"We found some books that can be a great help for out Transfiguration programme this year," Rose replied. Teddy smiled, pretending that he hadn't heard the longing in her voice to believe that there _would be_ a school year, that they would go back in time, that they would go back at all –

"Be careful with these books," he advised, "judging by the looks of them I'd say that they are dying to play a dirty trick on their readers."

He turned back to his own reading, trying to ignore the shouts from the hall, but when two new voices joined the clamour, he felt that it was more than he could take.

He marched over to the hall and found what he already suspected confirmed: James had joined his cousins and the three of them were now playing a game 'who can hit Mrs Black with the best aimed Stunning Curse'. Sirius was standing at the far end of the corridor, encouraging them.

_That's rich_, Teddy thought, feeling that he wanted to shut permanently all four wretched jokers. He stormed to the portrait, seized the curtains and after a minute of struggle managed to pull them over the disgusting image. "I win," he stated, turning to the children.

Obviously, there was something nutty in his face and voice, not to mention the ominous black colour that his hair had turned, that told the boys that he was on the verge of his patience. Not just angry – nobody ever cared about his being angry – but on the verge of his patience. Hugo and Fred did not even make an objection to their game being interrupted so suddenly, and James only swallowed nervously. All kids in their big family felt reverently and curiously awed at the moments when Teddy really lost his nerves. "Err – I'll go to see what Rose is doing," Hugo finally muttered.

"I'm coming with you," Fred agreed and the two of them escaped to the library. James made a movement as if to follow them, but then hesitated. He seemed unsure of what to do next.

"Go with them," Teddy encouraged him.

"Stay here, if you prefer," Sirius spoke for a first time.

Teddy felt his teeth clenching. "Go to the library," he said again, in a voice that he tried to make as calm as possible.

"Stay."

James' eyes moved unsurely between Teddy and Sirius. Finally, he turned and headed for the library.

Sirius had turned very pale. He was about to say something, but Teddy did not give him time: he came down upon him with anger that shocked them both. "What do you think you are doing?" he asked. "Can't you see they are nervous enough without you encouraging them? They can be forgiven, because they are children, but you? Are you thirteen, or what? Can't you see that we must draw a line or they will become completely uncontrollable? Their fear makes them even more unchecked and you aren't helping by praising them for being wild!"

"And you think you are, by bossing them around?" Sirius shot back. "Do you always command James as if he is a dog on a leash?"

"That's what drives you mad, isn't it?" Teddy hissed. "That he listens to me, rather than you. Well, let me tell you something, Sirius: he is _my_ James, not _yours_. Yours is dead. And whatever you do, he is not coming back, no matter how much you like to pretend that you and our James are the same age."

Sirius' face turned stony. "Thanks for reminding me who he is, Teddy," he said, mockingly, "Otherwise, I'd never guessed."

Teddy felt his blood boiling. "Yes, I really think you wouldn't have," he answered. "Listen to me, Sirius, and listen to me well: his parents have enough problems with his constantly playing the fool. Until we go back to our own time, I am responsible for these kids and I won't let you – "

"Is there a problem?"

Teddy and Sirius turned towards the weary voice. Remus looked at them and sighed. "What happened?"

"Nothing," Sirius replied, "we were just talking."

Remus looked at Teddy. "Is that so?"

The young Metamorphmagus nodded. "Yes. Just talking."

Remus obviously did not believe them, but before he could open his mouth and say so, an uproar of horrified screams emerged from the library and the three of them hurried to check what was going on. _I hope Victoire is handling things better than me_, Teddy thought, before opening the door and seeing the terrified faces of the children there, the stupid wig tilted on Lily's head and Rose standing near the table, her face wet with tears and her right hand missing, having been trapped in the clutches of the book that she had obviously tried to open. And then Teddy suddenly couldn't think at all.

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_At the same time…_

"Your favorite colour is blue and Grandmere is a natural at house-keeping charms, but can't make a decent cake for the life of hers… " Louis listed.

_Who knew that Mum was so suspicious,_ Victoire thought and vowed to herself that she would never be _this_ stupid, even if it concerned Teddy.

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_The same night…_

"Can't sleep?"

Teddy almost jumped at the sudden break of the silence in the kitchen. His father stepped out of the darkness and raised his eyebrows. "Drinking coffee this late?"

Teddy shrugged. "I won't be able to sleep anyway, so why the hell not?"

Remus pulled out a chair. "I see. How many years of your life did the little accident take?"

"Five," Teddy answered without hesitation. "Maybe six. I've become accustomed to all kind of things with these kids, but a missing hand is not one of them." He ran a hand through his now brown hair. "It seems that I missed to thank you for your quick intervening. I was so shocked, I wasn't able to think straight."

Remus smiled slightly, pouring himself coffee. "It was my pleasure. It made me feel young again – at Hogwarts, I was the official Healer. I was the one dealing with rabbit ears, rubbery fingers, arms and legs exchanged and so on. We only went to the infirmary when it was absolutely necessary."

Teddy laughed. "Now, that's a policy that I quite respect."

"As in following it yourself?"

"Sometimes. Rarely."

Remus only looked at him.

"Err, maybe not so rarely," Teddy conceded. "Well, yes. Our Healer was my friend, Jack. He was absolutely amazing. And you know what the funny thing is? He really became a Healer. Well, he'd had a good deal of practice and it's a good thing he did, because my abilities in this area were quite modest and our other friend was a complete disaster."

Remus's eyes softened at the memory. "That was Sirius, for us. Though a brilliant wizard, he was a total terror in healing. I think his problem was the excess of enthusiasm. I mean, it's a good thing to have the melted mass at the end of your hand to become a palm with fingers again, but when it did, there were six of them or something like that."

They fell silent, but it was not an uncomfortable silence. After a while, Remus asked, "What happened today? When I interrupted you and Sirius?"

"It wasn't anything." Teddy's voice was level, but it was clear that he would not discuss the topic. "Why are you awake so late?" he asked.

"The full moon," Remus explained plainly. "I usually become quite restless the week before."

"I see."

Teddy was trying to think of something to say, but he feared to start a topic, any topic, because he was afraid that he was in no shape to be alert and Remus would catch him unprepared, finding out things that he shouldn't, like a certain death… Or even two…

"I'm going to my bed," Teddy said, "I hope I'll be able to sleep now."

He opened the door as quietly as possible, not wanting to wake James and Al, but to his surprise, James was already awake. He was standing next to the window, still clad in his pajamas, his feet bare, his face pressed under the glass. Teddy could feel that something was bothering him. He went to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong?" he whispered.

"Nothing." But James' voice was unconvincing. He grabbed Teddy's hand and pressed it more firmly against his shoulder.

"Don't lie to me. I know that there is something. Is it because of Rose?"

He felt James releasing a deep breath. "The wretched thing just chewed her hand off," the boy whispered. "One moment, it was there and the next, it was trapped between the pages of that monstrous book."

"But she's all right now," Teddy said, reassuringly. "Nothing fatal happened."

"Is that so?" James asked. "Teddy, remember when we first got here and I said it was a great adventures? It was all just a talk. What happened today is quite frightening."

"I got scared too," Teddy admitted.

James looked at Teddy's reflection in the glass, as if trying to read the truth in his eyes. "You didn't show it."

"I didn't show it, but I was scared out of my wits. It was the first time I saw such a thing happening outside the Apparition lessons."

"I don't like it here," James whispered. "I hate this portrait, this house, the way we always have to be careful about what we say. I don't like it here, Teddy. I want to go home. I want to go back to our own time."

He sounded like a frightened seven year old. Probably, it was the late hour, combined with the fear from the last afternoon that had made his defenses crumble down. Teddy grasped his shoulders and said firmly, "Listen to me. Are you listening?"

"Yes."

"We will go back. I don't know how or when, but we'll make it somehow, James. I promise. By now, our people must have found out that we are missing. I'm sure they are already looking for us. We _will_ go back. Have I ever lied to you?"

"Thousands of times."

Teddy laughed. "I plead guilty. But not this time. You'll see."

James didn't answer, but gripped Teddy's fingers again.

"Come on," Teddy said in a few minutes, "let's go to bed. If you catch a cold, nothing will be solved, it'll just become more complicated."

Without protesting, James went to his bed and tucked beneath the covers, he suddenly realized how cold his feet was. "Sleep well," Teddy whispered.

"Yeah – " James muttered. In less than a minute, he was already sleeping. Teddy went to his own bed, undressed and casted the Darkening Spell.

Sirius slowly withdrew and made a step away in the corridor. He startled, when he noticed the shadow moving next to him. "Oh, it's you."

Remus motioned for him to follow and went to his own room, two doors away from the boys'.

"Did you hear?" Sirius asked softly.

"Yes, I did."

Sirius took a breath and exhaled it slowly. His face looked suddenly pale and worn out. "I am ashamed of myself, you know," he said. "I needed a boy's words to show me how egoistical I am."

"You? Egoistical? Come on, Sirius! You might be amazingly stupid and you are always arrogant, but egoistical? You're the least egoistical person I know."

Sirius shook his head. "No, I am dishonest, hypocritical. I am guilty towards them both – James and Teddy."

"How exactly are you guilty?" Remus asked calmly; having gained a good deal of experience with Sirius' feeling of guilt after the stupid and absolutely unfunny prank and then again after Azkaban, he had learned that the best way of dealing with him was to let him speak, as if his words were the absolute, logical truth and _then_ do the talking himself.

"He looks like James and he is named after him. He is so much like James from our Hogwarts years that I somehow started treating him as if he was James – _our_ James. A part of me doesn't even want for them to find a way to return to their own time," Sirius finally admitted. "He's fun and daring, just like James, and I – "

"Stop it," Remus said firmly. "Sometimes, I also want him to be our James. That is not an egoistic desire."

"It is, if it causes harm to someone. And he tried to tell me, but I didn't listen."

Remus blinked, having trouble with following the thread of the conversation. "James told you this?"

"Teddy. That was why we were arguing today. He told me that by acting as if I were still who I was at Hogwarts and treating James as if he were his grandfather, I'm undermining his parents' attempts to prompt him to good behavior and just making things worse. I didn't think about him at all – just about how wonderful it was to have James back. It didn't occur to me that he might want to return to his own time as soon as possible as much as I want him to stay in ours. But now I understand that it's useless to try and treat him as if his loyalties were different. Today, I told him to do one thing and Teddy told him to do another. He listened to Teddy. To this James, Teddy and the others are the most important ones, not us. He went to Teddy when he was afraid, and not me. He's different to our James, with another mind and another heart." Sirius started pacing the room. "And the sooner he goes where he belongs, the better for him. Teddy knew it, but I didn't."

"Well, Teddy has known him from his birth and you haven't," Remus pointed out.

"Yes, that's why he feels responsible for him – for all of them. He told me this, too, but I didn't give it much thought." Sirius suddenly stopped and smiled at his friend. "You know what, Moony? He definitely is your son. One day, he should be canonized. Such thoughtfulness and consideration, it isn't healthy - "

Remus smiled back. It was good to see Sirius getting a hold of himself.

"I wish we could keep them all here," Sirius murmured wistfully.

"Me too," Remus admitted.

"Well," Sirius concluded, "we don't always get what we want, so let's talk about more practical things. You're staying here for the full moon?"

"Well – " Remus started.

"You are staying," Sirius declared firmly, "and if you start talking about the kids, I'll have to remind you that the potion makes you absolutely safe; and if you start talking about Molly, I can always send _her_ packing."

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**Again, sorry for being so incredibly late. What do you think of this one?**


	6. Where Are They?

**Disclaimer:**** Who am I? I am Ramzes and I don't won HP. I'm just borrowing it for a while.**

_Thanks for all your lovely reviews. You guys are great._

Chapter 6

Where are they?

_Not quite the same time…_

"If Victoire doesn't make an appearance in three minutes, she won't know what has dawned upon her." Fleur's voice was raised in irritated anger, but the other women couldn't blame her at all. It was very _irresponsible_ of Victoire to disappear like this just minutes before the wedding!

"I'll go and find her," Ginny volunteered. Besides the obvious desire to calm her sister in-law and find her wayward niece _before_ the ceremony, that would give her the chance to have a look at her own wild son and see what he was doing. Something stupid, no doubt, or maybe something dangerous. Probably both.

She went outside in the garden and smiled at the sight of the bustle that greeted her. There was laughter, there were animated conversations, there were smiling faces everywhere. Ginny waved at Hestia Jones and Minister Shacklebolt and shared a smile with Professor McGonagall. She was glad that so many people had come to see the wedding, but then, they all loved Teddy and Victoire. No one would miss the wedding for the world.

_Teddy and Victoire are getting married!_ Ginny realized that, despite all the fuss and preparations, she had somehow missed to grasp the whole seriousness of the situation. How could she, when she could still see them as they had been not so long ago – an exuberant blue-haired boy, who had made his life goal to steal her wand and a little silver-haired toddler, who ran after him and thought that he made the sun rise, literally! _They weren't supposed to grow up_, Ginny thought. _Never_. Agitated, she felt the sudden tears welling in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall – she had spent too much time doing her make-up to ruin it now. She blinked furiously and when she opened her eyes again, Harry stood in front of her. "Are you looking for someone, Ginny?" he asked innocently. "Can I help you?"

"You damn well know who I am looking for, Harry!" she sniffed and gave him a stern look. "Where are they?"

She knew that Harry and the other men in the family, taken to despair by all the fuss of the preparations, had given Teddy advice that he should just take Victoire and run away to get married somewhere in secret, saving all of them further torture. Since Victoire was not here and Teddy's distinctive blue hair was nowhere to be seen either, Ginny had little doubt that her husband and brothers were involved. George, for one, looked way too pleased with himself, although it might be just the fact that he had just succeeding in making Aunt Muriel – _how come that the old hag is still alive,_ Ginny sincerely wondered._ It must be her malice keeping her going, nothing else_ – dissolve into fury again. Unfortunately, that was not enough to make the old lady leave.

"I suppose you're asking about Teddy and Victoire?" Harry asked calmly. "I have no idea, Gin. I haven't seen them for at least half an hour."

She looked at him suspiciously and then relaxed, when she realized that he was telling the truth. "I can't believe the two of them are getting married," she said softly. "It seems to me it was only yesterday, when – "

"I know," Harry agreed. That was what he had been thinking this whole morning – about Remus and Tonks and how they should have been here to see it now, about how they looked on the floor of the Great Hall, so still, so pale… dead… And then Teddy had come into his life, into all their lives., while they have been trying to pick up the shattering pieces – a new little person, untainted by the horrors of the war, someone they could all love. Harry still remembered how scared he had been when Teddy had been first placed into his arms – scared of what future held in store for this parentless child, and the more prosaic fear that he might drop him on the floor and break him…

_Teddy may not have parents, but he never lacked the care he needed, and the sense of family,_ Harry thought. _Andromeda did a good job in raising him. We all did._

Every single Mrs Weasley had had a hand in bringing the kid up – Hermione, Fleur, Angelina, Alicia, and Audrey… Molly Weasley was above all possible ratings, of course. But the greatest part of the responsibility had fallen upon Harry and Ginny, who had not minded at all. _How could I mind taking care of the first hope we had after the destruction of the war?_

Teddy had been their hope, and Victoire had been some kind of symbol for them. Her birthday was on 2nd May – the second anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts. The little silver angel had come to them to make them realize – well, not realize, rather remind them – just why they had suffered all that they had suffered, fought the war that they had fought, lost the people they had lost… She was an incarnation of their side of the war – the good, pure side. They had fought so that children like her to be born and raised without fear. Even George had realized that – in fact, he had been the first one to grasp the full symbolism in that.

And now they were getting married. Teddy and Victoire. The babies in the family. How could it be? Harry had the feeling that his own wedding had been mere weeks ago, a feeling that was strengthened, no doubt, by the visual absence of his children around. He could only hope that whatever mischief they had got themselves in would wait until _after_ the ceremony took place… Not that he relied too much on it, anyway, but still!

Ginny looked everywhere in searching for the missing couple, but there was no sign of them. They had obviously really run away. _It's so selfish of them_, she thought and then groaned, when she saw the middle-aged woman who was advancing on her from the other side of the garden. _Merlin's pants! Who let her in?_ She was on her way to break into a stampede, when Hermione, bless her merciful heart, suddenly stood beside her, at which the most unwelcome visitor of all suddenly turned green and made a quick retreat.

"Who on earth let the Woman-Beetle in?" Ginny hissed at Hermione.

"I swear, Ginny, it wasn't me."

"Of course it wasn't – Oh, sorry." The red-head had not realized how angry she had sounded. "I still want to know what she's doing here."

"That's a good question, Ginny," someone said from behind them. At the sound of the familiar voice, both of them gasped and turned to face a grinning Lee Jordan.

"Lee!" Ginny cried, for she hasn't seen him in almost four years – he had been too busy traveling around the world and expanding his radio company. She knew he had been in regular touch with George, though. "I didn't think you'll make it in time from Peru or wherever you were."

"Argentina," he corrected her good-naturedly, "and of course I made it. I wouldn't miss the kids' wedding for the world."

He hugged first her and then Hermione. "Now, let me see you," he said and stepped back, so he could have a better look at them. "Still the most beautiful ladies in the kingdom," he announced.

"Lee," Ginny said, "where is Alicia?"

Lee shrugged. "Oh she's probably being sick in the bathroom with the all-knowing mirror," he answered nonchalantly.

It wasn't like him to be so insensitive. Hermione's eyes narrowed. "Is she sick?"

Lee laughed. "No, Miss Know-It-All, she's pregnant. The travel really got it out of her and she chased me away to let her suffer in peace."

"Congratulations!" Hermione and Ginny squealed. Since Lee and Alicia had gotten married later than the rest of them, their boy was still very young, but the two women could fully understand their desire for a second child.

"Thank you," he grinned again. "Now, to your question, Ginny. I think Skeeter came here to describe the event for the Prophet."

"Oh no!" Hermione gasped. "It's impossible! No one could have been this neglectful to let her worm her way here."

Yet, it was obvious that someone have and there was nothing that they could do about that in the moment, so the two women said goodbye to Lee and headed back for the house, but a small blond girl met them at the door. "Mrs Weasley," she said.

Hermione smiled. 'Hi, Jillian," she said. "Ginny, this is Rose's friend, Jillian Hart; Jillian, this is Mrs Ginny Potter."

"Nice to meet you, Jillian." Ginny looked with keen interest at the girl who her son so reviled. Nothing looked wrong with her, though – she was lovely and her eyes were intent.

"I think something is wrong, Mrs Weasley," Jillian said without preamble.

Hermione looked worried. "What do you mean?"

"I can't find Rose anywhere and I can't find Hugo, Lily and Al either." Her voice was strained. "I think something happened to them. And James hasn't tried to torment me in almost an hour. He would have, if he could, I'm sure – he and that wild cousin of his, Fred – they can't keep themselves from being mean – sorry, Mrs Potter," she added apologetically, having just realized that she was speaking in front of James' mother.

"It's all right, dear," Ginny said, amused. "That's James in a nutshell. So, where were you?"

"I said something happened to them," Jillian repeated. "I think. I may be wrong, but – "

But she wasn't wrong. Ten minutes later, all Weasleys and Potters, plus Andromeda Tonks, Lee and Alicia Jordan, and Kingsley Shacklebolt had gathered in the shed, looking pale-faced at the broken remnants of a something that had previously been –

"What do you mean, a Time-Turner?" Molly's shriek made everyone shudder. "Arthur – a Time-Turner?"

For a first time in his life, Mr Weasley did not try to quibble, when confronted with evidence for the less than safe things that he kept in his shed – the matter was too serious for such pretensions "I'm afraid it was just that, dearest. It's been here for years and now it seems that the kids found it."

"The kids – found – it," Hermione repeated. She looked ready to faint. "Arthur, you mean – you don't mean – that the children were transferred to the past?"

"I'm afraid he means just that, Hermione," Ron said and shared a look with Harry. "We brought the Time-Turner here for repair. Actually, we thought it could never be repaired, but it seems it was – too well."

"We?" Fleur asked, in a high-pitched voice. "Who are 'we'?"

"Harry!" Ginny gasped. "You two brought that from the _Ministry_?"

Harry shifted uncomfortably. "It looked ready to fall to pieces," he defended himself and his best friend.

"Well, it _obviously_ didn't!" Hermione screeched. "_Bring them back_!"

Harry sighed. Ron was looking resolutely at his feet. "What?" his mother demanded.

Now, the Minister decided to be fair and save his subordinates. "That's the problem, Mrs Weasley," he said. "The failure of this Time-Turner was that it turned time pell-mell , without any control of our part, so we don't' know how far back it brought the children. And besides, even if we knew, there aren't any Time-Turners that can bring people _forth_ to time."

For a moment, there was a deafening silence. And then the hell broke lose.

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**A.N. I know, I know this chapter was too short, but it was something like a medium link. I couldn't make it longer, but I had to write it anyway. I hope you weren't disappointed with it.**

6


	7. Revelations

_Disclaimer: HP is not mine._

**Thank you for all your lovely reviews. I am sorry for being so late with this chapter, but well, at least it's here. And you know that? It's my birthday today, so I'm even more happy to post this chapter today.**

Chapter 7

Revelations

_Three days later…_

When the elderly witch entered the living room, Teddy realized – with not just a touch of relief – that all their problems would be solved. "Professor McGonagall!" he exclaimed, as glad as he had never been before to see her.

When she gave him a stern look, he felt like covering her with kisses. "Professor Dumbledore told me a story that sounded really weird," she said.

\

Ted could not stop grinning. "Did he mention something about a broken Time-Turner, a travel in time and… a crazy James Potter?"

"Yes," she confirmed, "that's exactly what he said."

"I suppose you're here to help us with mending the Time-Turner?"

"Yes, that's why I'm here. Although I feel that the whole lot of you has not been punished enough, I think I'll leave your detention in the hands of those who have authority over you." She sighed heavily. "I don't know why I was surprised, I really don't know. I've never got anything but trouble with Potters, Lupins and Weasleys and it has been this way since James and Remus first set foot in Hogwarts in 1971. I don't know why I expected that one day, it's just _quit_."

She looked so stern and disapproving, and _familiar_ that it was comforting. Teddy felt that finding their way back would be possible and that, in fact, it would happen very soon. Minerva McGonagall always, always had her way, especially when it came to thinking and finding a solution out of thin air. And they really needed an unexpected solution. Because Ted remembered a little detail about Time-Turners that he had been carefully hiding from the children: that Time-Turners worked only _one_ way. Backward.

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_The next morning…_

Late in the morning, Mrs Weasley was rereading a letter in the kitchen. Behind Ginny's casual chatter, she felt the fear, anger and desperation that had taken over Hogwarts. There was nothing she could do to help her children – even Dumbledore couldn't. She had slept poorly, dreaming of death, murder… and the last Christmas of the first war, the last time she had been with her brothers. Would it happen again? Could their family survive? Arthur? All her children? Could she bear to lose a loved one again? Would she have to?

The door opened and Victoire entered the kitchen, yawning widely and rubbing her eyes. "Good morning," the girl said.

"Good morning, dear," Molly answered. "How are you?"

"I'm slee – slee-pyyy," Victoire answered, fighting off another yawn. "Good morning, Kreacher," she said nicely. "I'd like bacon and eggs, please."

The old house-elf looked at her as if she were his mortal enemy, but started doing what she had ordered him anyway, muttering about half-breeds and disgrace and, oh, what would have his beloved mistress said, if only –

"Oh shut up!" Victoire snapped. It was hard to believe that this malicious creature was the same good-natured Kreacher who had secretly given her sweets, when Harry and Ginny had taken her to their home for babysitting. "I've got a terrible headache," she complained and her grandmother immediately poured her a cup of tea to make her better.

For a while, the two of them sat in the kitchen. No one talked – they were just enjoying the silence and peace in the house. _Wait – silence and peace? _Victoire's head snapped back. "Where is everyone?" she asked.

Molly smiled. "Some of them are degnoming and some others are cleaning," she said. "Everyone is as far from you as possible. I wanted you to have some sleep."

Victoire smiled with gratitude. Ever since they had gotten here, normal sleep had not been an option for her, so she was glad that she had had the chance to relax the last night. "Where is Teddy?" she asked and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear, before it had had the chance to fall in her tea. Doing so, she left her cheek bare and the red scrapes on her soft fair skin stood ugly in the sunlight. Molly looked at them.

"You never told me what happened," she said.

"It's true, I didn't."

Victoire had no intention of doing so now. The very idea of her mother being jealous of her over her father seemed ridiculous; she really couldn't bring herself to discuss it with other people. There was a silent agreement between her, Louis and their father not to mention about what had happened in Bill's apartment.

"Are you sure you don't want me to heal the scrapes and bruises?" Molly asked.

"No, but thanks anyway." Victoire knew that there was nothing dangerous in such small healing and yet she was not quite sure, although she knew that her grandmother was an expert in this.

But Molly Weasley was am expert in some other areas, too. "When is your baby due?" she asked calmly.

Victoire gasped slightly, but then relaxed and smiled. "In seven months," she answered. "But you cannot tell anybody!" she added quickly. "I haven't told anyone yet, not even Teddy. It's a secret."

Molly stared intently at this strange girl from the future, at the spitting image of the young woman that she didn't like or love, and she suddenly saw that here, right in front of her, sat an alternative to death – a part of her that would keep living after the war, despite the war. The clashes of family life, the adaptation and forgiveness that were an inevitable part of it, the tears and laughter – all that would keep existing, no matter what Voldemort and his Death Eaters would do. And she would owe it partly to the insufferable French girl that Bill was so firmly set on getting married to. But no matter how much Victoire looked like her mother, she was a part of Bill, too, a part of Molly.

"That secret is so wonderful," she whispered, "it'd be a pity to stay a secret."

Victoire shook her head. "I don't want anyone to know that I'm pregnant now, before the wedding! They're going to think we're getting married because of the baby and not because we are crazy about each other. And I thought it would be better for Teddy to get accustomed to his new status as a married man before knowing that he's going to become a father. Now – " She shrugged. Now, everything was so messed up that she did not dare bring up more changes. Not until she had to.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

_Forty__ minutes later…_

"What am I to do with this goblet?"

Sirius looked with disdain at the fine silverware. "Just throw it away," he answered, annoyed. He was not angry with the kid, but a whole morning of Molly's bossiness, Kreacher's muttering, his mother's shrieks, and cleaning away family artifacts had turned him quite sour. And James' merry mood was not helping. In fact, it was giving him a headache. _I need Moony_. Remus would know that he should leave him alone without actually leaving him alone. He knew how to handle Sirius and no matter how much Sirius hated to admit it, he knew that he needed as careful handling as the most dangerous animals in Muggle zoos.

But Moony was not here – well, he was, but it was as if he wasn't. He was in the library, trying to work out a way to make the Time-Turner take their young visitors back to their own time. He's been engaged in this activity for hours, along with Professor McGonagall and Teddy. And Snape. _Snape_!

No wonder why Sirius was not allowed in the library. At least, he trusted Snivellus to do his best to help them – the slimeball wanted the kids out of here almost as much as they did. _He probably can't stand teenagers that he has no authority over._ _I shudder at the mere thought of what he must be doing to the poor devils at Hogwarts_.

"Just throw it away," he repeated. "Throw away everything you want. And don't bother asking."

"All right," James replied cheerfully. "Would you mind if I strangle Kreacher?" he asked. He didn't really mean it – he knew that at the end, the old house-elf would turn out all right, but he wouldn't mind to scare him a little, because he was really getting on his nerves.

"Not at all," Sirius answered indifferently, startling James. Anyway, the kid kept cleaning the carpet and his joyful spirits could not be lowered by Sirius' moodiness.

"Do you know what?" he asked with the air of great mysteriousness.

Sirius felt a sudden pang in his heart, caused by the memory of James – _his_ James – saying the exact same words thousands of times.

"What?"

"Victoire is having a baby!" James announced, unable to keep himself under control any longer. "She and Teddy are going to be _parents_!"

The old vase in Sirius' hands fell on the floor and smashed into hundred pieces. James grinned, satisfied with the effect of his news. "How do you know?" Sirius asked and flashing another grin, James threw a quick look at the door to make sure that no one was watching, and showed him the end of an Extendable Ear. It wasn't even one of those that Fred and George had managed to save from their mother's purge. James had brought it from the future. "You eavesdropped on them?" Sirius asked and tried to look stern, disapproving and admonishing… without much success.

"Of course no!" James looked insulted. "Eavesdropping on a love couple? No, thanks! They can give everyone a headache. No, I heard when Victoire told Grandma about it, this same morning." He grinned. "We know something so important about Teddy that he still doesn't know, can you imagine it?"

Sirius pointed his want at the porcelain pieces on the floor. "_Evanesco_!" he said and looked at them vanishing. "Are you serious?" he asked. "Teddy still doesn't know?"

James nodded energetically. "She doesn't want to tell him,' he clarified. "So, we're not telling him either."

"No, we aren't," Sirius agreed, a little taken aback by such readiness on James' side to respect his cousin's wishes.

"But that doesn't mean we're not telling _everyone_ else!" James went on, bouncing on his heels in mad enthusiasm. _Ah, well_, Sirius thought, _things start getting clear_.

"I'm going to tell Al first," James started babbling, "and Fred. Not Lily, though – she'll be so thrilled about the baby that she'll run up to Teddy and tell him everything! In fact, I think she shouldn't know at all."

Sirius started smiling a little, his dark mood somewhat brightening. "James," he said, "you'd better listen to a man who's had many years of experience with other people secrets: you have three choices. You can tell no one – the best way of keeping a secret. You can tell everyone… and be prepared for the consequences. Or you can tell a very small number of people and swear them to secrecy. But you cannot tell everyone except for one person; it won't work."

"Oh." James seemed deflated. "Well, I suppose you're right. But I'll find a way!" he swore and following Sirius' earlier advice, he threw away a golden watch that he had found in one of the cabinets. "I like the one Teddy got for his seventeenth birthday better," he commented. "I helped Dad pick it and I – "

"What?" Sirius asked sharply and James looked at him, bewildered. "What did you say?"

James blinked. "What did I say?"

"You said that your father gave Teddy the traditional gift for his seventeenth birthday," Sirius helped him.

Now James realized what he had let slip. He tried to play surprised. "I did?"

"Yes," Sirius assured him, the boy's behavior confirming his worst fears. "Why would your parents give him a watch? Where were his own parents?"


	8. Truths

_Disclaimer: __Still valid._

**Thanks for all your lovely reviews. Sorry for being so terribly late with this chapter.**** Work, real life, too many fanfics to keep alive, lack of inspiration – there are always explanations, though they are not real excuses.**

Chapter 8

James tried to extenuate it. Merlin, he really was the idiot that Teddy always made him up to be! "Well, my Dad is his godfather. He's always been an important part of his life."

"Was he, now?" There was genuine interest in Sirius' voice.

James nodded energetically and feeling quite in his element now, started a long story about his Dad, Teddy, himself and the Potters' family dog. He even managed to avoid mentioning that the mutt's name was Snuffles, for that would provoke a new series of questions that James would rather avoid.

Sirius listened patiently to his ramblings. Finally, James fell silent, already congratulating himself with taking Sirius off the track, when the Anumagus disappointed him.

"All this is very nice, cozy and informative. I just have one more question."

"Yes?"

"Why was your father the one to make the traditional gift for Teddy's birthday?"

James scrambled for an excuse. "Because his parents were busy somewhere else?" he suggested hopefully.

"Were they? And who paid for the watch in question?"

James did not answer.

"Yeah, so I thought."

Silence.

"Where were Remus and Tonks, James?"

James pointed his wand at a closet and tried to open it. He did not succeed.

"Oh no, not another malicious locking," he muttered, referring to some other cases when the furniture in the Black mansion had proven to be stubbornly unlockable – and when they did manage to open it, they often wished they hadn't! They were most often met by nasty surprises, like a Stinking Charm spreading all over the house, or a bunch of fairies, or something even worse. Sirius sighed, irritated.

"Leave it be," he said. Right now, he did not care one bit about the closet.

James scowled. "Give me your wand," he said.

"What? It's up to the person casting, kid, not the wand," Sirius said and wondered what they taught children at Hogwarts those days… or rather, James-days.

"Oh. just give it," James snapped and Sirius complied without thinking and went to inspect the closet closer.

"Sirius?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry. I really wish I didn't have to do this."

"What?" Sirius asked, still oblivious.

"It's nothing personal. I like you. I really do."

Sirius was still inspecting the closet – which was not locked at all; in fact, they had opened and cleaned it only the day before – when James shut the door of the room. Sirius heard him casting the locking spell.

After that, all he heard was the silence.

**Eleven**** hours later…**

It was Remus who liberated him in the evening, eleven hours after his incarceration began. The moment he heard someone moving in the hall, he started banging his fists n the door and screaming for help.

A startled Remus shouted, "Who's in there?"

"Sirius!"

Within seconds, the _Alohomora_ was casted and the door was open. Remus gawked at him in utter shock. "What are you doing in there?" he asked.

"Later," Sirius said and made a beeline for the bathroom. When he returned, Remus' expression remained unchanged. "What's going on?" he asked.

Sirius was still steaming with anger and said only, "James."

"I don't understand."

"James _locked_ me here in the morning."

"_What_?"

"James locked me in this godforsaken room this morning," Sirius said, spelling it out.

"But why?" Remus asked, as if he was hoping that there were a logical explanation.

"Because he is James," Sirius answered. Remus nodded, accepting this statement as the valid truth it was, which was good, for Sirius had no intention of sharing the highly troubling conclusions that he had reached during his lonely imprisonment.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Sirius replied. "I think."

"Are you hungry? Do you need something?"

"Yes, a bottle of Firewhiskey," Sirius said. "Oh well," he went on, seeing by his friend's expression that he was not likely to get it." Forget it. I need Teddy. Any idea where he is?"

"Still the library."

Sirius stared at him, terrified. "With Snivellus? _He's still with Snivellus?_"

"They are working together, Padfoot, and Teddy is a big boy. He can fend for himself."

"I know, Moony, but – it's still Snivellus. Teddy might never be the same after twelve hours straight with the slimebag."

Remus smiled at his friend's concern. "I think he's all right," he said seriously, "for now, at least. By the way, he isn't _still_ with Severus, he's with him _again_. And besides, Severus and McGonagall are leaving soon."

"Good."

Having his mind thus soothed, Sirius decided that if he was going to wait, he could at least make something useful out of his time. He headed for the kitchen – briefly meeting Al on his way; the boy suddenly looked very interested to be somewhere else – and prepared a plate for himself.

Teddy came in while he was still eating. He looked tired, his face sunken, his hair a dull brown – but then, he had just spent _hours_ with Snape.

"Hi," he said and made a beeline for the coffee.

"Hi," Sirius said. "I want to talk to you."

Teddy sighed. "Yes, I thought you might."

"I take it that you saw James?"

"I did," Teddy confirmed. "Would you mind to talk somewhere else?"

Sirius grimaced at the thought of having the conversation further delayed, but Teddy was right: here, they would probably be interrupted.

"Let's go to my room," he said.

They went upstairs and Teddy took in the messy state of the bedroom – Sirius' little revolt against the order set up by Dumbledore and Molly for the rest of the house.

"So?" Sirius said.

"James told me that he'd locked you in only a few minutes ago," Teddy said apologetically. "I was going to come and free you. Honest."

"Oh. And did he tell you _why_ he locked me in?"

Teddy nodded and sat cautiously in a chair, relieved that it didn't crumble under his weight. His movement, however, stirred a cloud of dust that sent both men coughing.

"Where were your parents?" Sirius asked. "Why didn't they buy you this watch?"

Teddy looked at him, his eyes calm. "I think you know the answer to that."

"I want to hear it anyway."

Teddy nodded again. Maybe Sirius needed to know what would happen to make peace with his mind. Maybe he though it would be worse than it actually was.

"I have no parents," he said softly. "They died, when I was only a few weeks old. They died in the final battle, fighting the Death Eaters."

Sirius swallowed. He had expected to hear exactly those words. He, however, had not expected the shock that the actual hearing gave him. Remus and Tonks would both die? It simply wasn't possible. Tonks was so vital, so full of life and joy. Surely death would not dare come near her? And Remus? Would life give him this final injustice, after everything he'd been through, including Sirius' own betrayal?

"Are you all right?" Teddy asked, concerned.

"No," Sirius answered.

"I'm sorry."

"Not your fault."

"Is that why you avoid them?"

Teddy nodded. "I'm afraid that if I'm near them, they will realize that I know nothing about them."

"Makes sense."

"I hope so."

Sirius sat heavily on his bed, suddenly and irrationally angry with James for being so careless, for letting him know. "James really is an idiot," he muttered.

"Shut up!" Teddy said angrily.

Startled, Sirius looked at him. "Well, he is."

"Yes, he is," Teddy agreed. "He is also impulsive, hotheaded, and has troubles with discipline. But you have no right to say it. Only I have the right. No one else."

"That makes sense too," Sirius acknowledged. "Were you happy?" he asked. "when you, wrre a child, I mean.

Teddy smiled. "I was," he said. "I was very happy. And I wasn't alone. No one is ever alone in the Weasley clan. The women in the family all took turns to mothering me and as Ginny says, the only cause of concern is that this upbringing gave me trouble to which authority I should answer to."

Sirius estimated him with strangely piercing gray eyes. The boy was telling the truth.

"Are you well now?" he asked.

"No," Teddy said. That was the truth, too.

**Half an hour later…**

As soon as she saw him, Victoire realized that he was not well at all. To the others, he might look just a little tired, but she knew him better than everyone, as she was supposed to. He was both exhausted and sad and she felt guilty for letting him take the bulk of responsibilities of their current situation and letting herself be lulled by the weariness caused by her pregnancy. That was not how a partnership was supposed to work. He needed a good rest to begin with, and no one around – except for her, of course.

"Lily, Rose, you're going to move to another room for tonight."

"What?" both girls exclaimed. "But it's so late, Vicki," Rose went on. "We don't have the time to prepare a room – "

"Very well, then you can spend the night in the boys' room. Teddy is staying with me."

Rose nodded without further protests. Clever girl. Lily, however, was not to be persuaded so easily.

"I am not going to be thrown out of my own room just because you're feeling like it," she snapped and glared at Rose's retreating back with contempt. "And I am not staying in the same room as James and Al, just so you know. I am not doing it."

"Really?" Victoire said. "Listen, Lily, Teddy and I need to be alone tonight. Tomorrow, you may go back, but for this night – "

Lily sat on the coach to show that she would not be moved. Victoire sighed and motioned to Teddy to sit next to her. Brows raised in surprise, he did as instructed.

"You give me no choice," Victoire said, as she approached Teddy, straddled him on the coach, and planted a long, passionate kiss on his lips.

Within seconds Lily, struck with horror, shrieked, almost vomited, sprang to her feet, and was out of the door.

Victoire and Teddy looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"Come on," Victoire said afterwards, "I think we both need a rest."

They both undressed and lay side to side. "I missed you," Victoire said softly. "I mean, Lily and Rose are not a bad company at all, but they cannot hold a candle to you."

He laughed. "I certainly hope so! I'm the one you're marrying, or did you forget?"

She looked at him and asked, "How did the conversation go?"

"James told you?"

"He told everyone."

Teddy sighed heavily. "In short, Sirius wanted a piece of me. Everyone wants a piece of me, by different reasons – the children, Remus and Tonks, McGonagall and Snape – Honest, Vicki, I'm already getting tired of being the one they all look at for answers and/on instructions."

She smoothed the hair off his brow. "Tonight, there won't be any such demands," she promised.

He snuggled closer. "Actually, I am not sure whether I can meet the demands that _you_ might make," he joked.

She shook her head. "Just stay with me. I'm so tired of the girls waking in the night out of fear that we'll never go back home. I'm trying not to show it, but I'm scared too. And I'm happy that it's you here with me tonight. I'm tired."

He held her tight. "I'm scared and tired too," he admitted. Then, he looked at the door. "Do you think I need to reinforce the locking spells?" he asked.

Victoire giggled. "After Lily tells them what she saw? I don't think there is any need. In fact, I think there will be years before any of them dares to put a hand on the doorknob."


End file.
